Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-12-14

Jackson Hunt was born in 1921 in Ohio, like
his commander western man, also West
Point graduate. He finished the course Of in
struction there when only Is years old. Dur
ing the Mexican war he became major Of ar
tillery, and was afterwards especially identi-
fled with that arm Of the service. He was
McClellan's chief Of staff during the peninsu-
lar campaign During the whole war he
served in the Army of the Potomac, and was
one of its most faithful and useful officers.
Burnside's chief cavalry commander con-
tinued to be Gen. Alfred Pleasonton. Pleas
onton was born at Washington city, in 1924
and was the same age as Burnside. He ell
tered the cavalry service when he left West
Point, in 1914, and was sent to Mexico. He
remained in the west und southwest on duty
most of the time till the outbreak of the civil
war. At Fredericksburg he held the rank Of
brigadier general Of volunteers. He saw
severe fighting there and subsequently at
Charlottesville and Gettysburg After
wards he was ordered west, and his troopers
helped clear Missouri OF Sterling Prices men
in 1864.
In 1865 Gen. Pleasonton resigned from the
ness. His advocacy of the blue glass theory is
Burnside's chief of staff was Brig. Gen.
John G. Parke. said to be one Of the
handsomest Of the accomplished officers
grouped about the headquarters Of
the Army OF the Potomac. Parke was
q Pennsylvania. born in 1927, and a
West Pointer Of 1S49. He entered the engi-
neer corps. He had been brigadier general
on the North Carolina coast under Burnside,
and, with his old commander, Joined the
Army of the Potomac He afterwards was
ordered south and west. He took active part
in the siege of Vicksburg, also Of Knoxville.
He followed the fortunes of Burnside. At
the final battles before Richmond, and pre-
vious to that, in 1864, Gen. Parke, under
Burnside, commanded the old Ninth corps.
Gen. Parke is now superintendent at West
Point.
Military critics declare that Burnside
should have aimed ut Lees army rather than
at Richmond. At all events, he determined
to occupy Fredericksburg Immediately. Pub
lie sentiment and the newspapers demanded
that something should be done at once.
While Burnside was making way for the
transportation Of supplies the Confederates
were fortifying Fredericksburg and the
heights behind it. At the end of November
Lees whole army lay in crescent around
Fredericksburg. Its right was at Port Royal,
below the town; the left little distance
above. The Confederate Notifications were
truly formidat,J, so as to render crossing di-
rectly in front Of the city hopeless. But pon,
toon bridges were prepared by Burnside, and
he arranged to cross the Rappahannock at
Skenker's Neck, twelve miles below. Lee
discovered this move in time to frustrate it.
There seem to have been ways whereby
Burnside's plans were constantly discovered
to Lee, and that almost Immediately.
With large portion of Lees army at
Skenker's Neck, Burnside next thought he
could force the passage Of the Rappahannock
and take Fredericksburg under the guns Of
those who were left The Union artillery
was planted upon Stafford Heights, above
Falmouth 1t commanded the whole plain Of
Fredericksburg.
Lee was so we'll informed Of all that went
on in the Union army that within twenty
four hours after Mcclellan had been super
seded by Burnside he was informed of it.